Essential Transportation Employee Safety Act Introduced to Protect Workers and Public Amid Pandemic

Strategic Insights -

U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal, Maria Cantwell, and Edward J. Markey introduced the Essential Transportation Employee Safety Act to address workplace safety for essential transportation workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill aims to prioritize coronavirus testing for transportation workers, ensure employers implement health and safety requirements, and expand upon President Joe Biden's Executive Order by mandating masks on certain modes of transportation.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Essential Transportation Employee Safety Act was introduced by Senators Richard Blumenthal, Maria Cantwell, and Edward J. Markey to address workplace safety for essential transportation workers during the pandemic.
  • The bill would require the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support state and local governments in providing priority testing for transportation workers.
  • The legislation would also implement personal protective equipment and disinfection and sanitization requirements for owners and operators of equipment or facilities used by certain transportation employers.
  • The bill has the endorsement of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the Transportation Trades Department--AFL-CIO (TTD), which represents thirty-three transportation labor unions.
  • Transportation workers have been raised as heroes for their dedication and fearlessness in the face of danger, but they deserve better safety protections, including sanitation standards on shared equipment and a mask mandate for passengers.
  • The Essential Transportation Employee Safety Act establishes enforceable standards for employers to protect the safety and well-being of transportation workers, including requiring the use of personal protective equipment, regular cleaning, and sanitization of equipment and facilities.
  • The bill has the support of several unions, including the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the Association of Flight Attendants--CWA (AFA-CWA), and the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU).
  • Transportation workers have faced increased COVID-19 infection rates and have made significant sacrifices, including taking on further risk to themselves and their families to keep the economy moving.

Statistics:

  • The U.S. transportation sector has played a critical role in delivering supplies to fight COVID-19 and helping the economy, but its workers have suffered increased infection rates due to the pandemic.
  • Transportation workers, including pilots, flight attendants, and bus drivers, have risked their health and well-being daily as they continue to provide vital services during the pandemic.
  • The Essential Transportation Employee Safety Act will make a real difference in the lives of transportation workers by establishing strong federal mandates to ensure their safety and well-being.
  • 33 transportation labor unions have endorsed the bill, highlighting its importance and the need for stricter safety measures for transportation workers.
  • The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, representing nearly 50,000 Flight Attendants at 17 airlines, has called for a coordinated, robust, enforceable plan to keep workers safe and stop the virus from becoming a pandemic.

Sources:

  • United States Senator for Connecticut -- Richard Blumenthal
  • Maria Cantwell
  • Edward J. Markey
  • International Brotherhood of Teamsters
  • Transportation Trades Department--AFL-CIO (TTD)
  • Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA)
  • Association of Flight Attendants--CWA (AFA-CWA)
  • Transport Workers Union of America (TWU)
  • Contify.com